Roslyn teen Caroline Faber creates crafts program for kids in homeless shelters

ROSLYN, New York -- A Long Island teen went from being "lonely and bored" at the start of the pandemic, to busy when she launched "Craft With Me."

Roslyn resident Caroline Faber, 14, started an arts and crafts program for kids in homeless shelters.

"The project this week was a kaleidoscope, a paper towel roll," she said. "I taught them to put it together and they really liked that."

Faber quickly learned that her students didn't have the necessary supplies -- not even scissors or glue -- so her mom shared an Amazon wish list.

"Everyone kept sending supplies boxes and boxes waiting at our door front," mother Nicole Faber said. "The Amazon list, it really was wonderful."

Caroline curates each box with enough supplies for a month of projects and ships them to the shelters in Westchester and Queens -- and even in the Carolinas.

"I do about nine Zooms a week, and we also have 17 volunteers that do one Zoom a week," she said.

Caroline says it is amazing to watch the relationship building among children from totally different worlds and different backgrounds in every way possible.

"Hopefully after COVID is over we can do some in-person events and then all the volunteers can meet the kids in person."

Until then, the virtual classes will continue, but one lesson Caroline is learning that is so much more important than any craft project they've made, she says she's learned to be grateful for all she has.

For people who would like to contribute or get involved, you can head to the Craft With Me website.